Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
This is the first action on the merits for application 19/036357. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 10, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by GOODSELL (2025/0043851).
Regarding Claim 1, GOODSELL teaches A tensioner system for a flexible drive member comprising: a slider (250) configured for abutting the flexible drive member; a tensioner body (203) supporting the slider (250); a biasing member (140) arranged for biasing the slider (250) toward the flexible drive member via the tensioner body; and a latch (160) having a latched position and an unlatched position, in the unlatched position, the latch permitting the biasing member (140) to move the slider (250) toward the flexible member, and in the latched position, the latch preventing the biasing member (140) from moving the slider toward the flexible member.
Regarding Claim 2, GOODSELL teaches further comprising a base (210) selectively engaging the slider (250); wherein: in the unlatched position, the slider is disengaged from the base, and the tensioner body (203) is movable relative to the base; and in the latched position, the slider engages the base, and the tensioner body (203) is fixed relative to the base (210).
Regarding Claim 3, GOODSELL teaches wherein the biasing member (140) is a spring disposed between the base (210) and the tensioner body (203).
Regarding Claim 10, GOODSELL teaches A drive train comprising: a housing (177); a drive wheel disposed in the housing; a driven wheel disposed in the housing [0040]; a flexible drive member engaging the drive wheel and the driven wheel for transmitting torque between the drive wheel and the driven wheel [0040]; and a tensioner system (300) for tensioning the flexible drive member, the tensioner system comprising: a slider (250) for abutting the flexible drive member; a tensioner body (102) supporting the slider (250); a biasing member (140) arranged selectively biasing the slider (250) toward the flexible drive member via the tensioner body (102); a latch (160) having a latched position and an unlatched position, in the unlatched position, the latch (160) permitting the biasing member (140) to move the slider toward the flexible member, in the latched position, the latch preventing the biasing member (140) from moving the slider (250) toward the flexible member; and an actuator (165) operatively connected to the latch for moving the latch from the latched position to the unlatched position.
Regarding Claim 11, GOODSELL teaches wherein: the housing (177) defines an aperture (Fig. 21a); and the actuator (165) is accessible via the aperture for moving the latch from the latched position to the unlatched position.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 4, 5, 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GOODSELL (2025/0043851) in view of MONSY (2019/0249757).
Regarding Claim 4, GOODSELL does not teach wherein the latch comprises: a tab (42) defined by one of the base and the slider; and a recess defined by an other one of the base and the slide, in the unlatched position, the tab is disengaged from the recess, and in the latched position, the tab is received in the recess.
MONSY teaches wherein the latch comprises: a tab (42) defined by one of the base and the slider; and a recess (34) defined by an other one of the base and the slide, in the unlatched position, the tab is disengaged from the recess, and in the latched position, the tab is received in the recess.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to change the tensioner in GOODSELL to have latch in MONSY so belt tension can be released to either install or remove the tensioner or chain.
Regarding Claim 5, GOODSELL as modified teaches wherein: the base defines the tab (MONSY 42); and the slider defines the recess (MONSY 34).
Regarding Claim 12, GOODSELL does not teach wherein: the tensioner system further comprises a base (40) selectively engaging the slider; in the unlatched position, the slider (30) is disengaged from the base (40), and the tensioner body (44) is movable relative to the base (40); and in the latched position, the slider (30) engages the base (40), and the tensioner body (44) is fixed relative to the base (40).
MONSY teaches wherein: the tensioner system further comprises a base (104) selectively engaging the slider (250); in the unlatched position, the slider (250) is disengaged from the base (104), and the tensioner body (102) is movable relative to the base; and in the latched position, the slider engages the base, and the tensioner body is fixed relative to the base.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to change the tensioner in GOODSELL to have the latch in MONSY so belt tension can be released to either install or remove the tensioner or chain without having to locate a separate part to place on the tensioner.
Regarding Claim 13, GOODSELL as modified teaches wherein the biasing member (140) is a spring disposed between the base (150) and the tensioner body (103).
Regarding Claim 14, GOODSELL as modified teaches wherein the latch comprises: a tab (MONSY 42) defined by one of the base and the slider (MONSY 30); and a recess (MONSY 34) defined by an other one of the base and the slide, in the unlatched position, the tab is disengaged from the recess, and in the latched position, the tab is received in the recess.
Regarding Claim 15, GOODSELL as modified teaches wherein: the base (MONSY 40) defines the tab (MONSY 42); and the slider (MONSY 30) defines the recess (MONSY 34).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GOODSELL (2025/0043851) in view of BUELL (2013/0168172).
Regarding Claim 20, GOODSELL teaches the drivetrain of claim 10.
GOODSELL does not teach A vehicle comprising: a frame; at least one front wheel; a rear wheel; the driven wheel of the drivetrain being operatively connected to the rear wheel; and a motor operatively connected to the drive wheel of the drivetrain.
BUELL teaches A vehicle (Fig. 3) comprising: a frame (2); at least one front wheel; a rear wheel (Fig. 1); the driven wheel (27) of the drivetrain being operatively connected to the rear wheel (6); and a motor [0038] operatively connected to the drive wheel (28) of the drivetrain.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to change the tensioner in GOODSELL to be used in the vehicle in BUELL so the tensioner or belt is easily removed or installed in the vehicle for maintenance.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9, 16-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
A close prior art does not teach or suggest wherein the slider pivots to engage and disengage the tab with the recess with the other elements in Claims 6 and 16.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HENRY Y LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-7018. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ROBERT W HODGE can be reached at 5712722097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HENRY Y. LIU
Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/HENRY Y LIU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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